Page 2 | The Loafer | November 3, 2015
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November 3, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 3
Volume 29 • Issue #48
36th Annual Christmas Connection
Publisher Luci Tate
Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle Office Manager Luci Tate Cover Design Bill May Advertising Dave Carter Terry Patterson Lori Howell Beth Jinks-Ashburn Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Brian Bishop Nathan Cox Distribution Jerry Hanger Teresa Hanger Published by Pulse Publishing, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement, including claims or suits for defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism, and copyright infringement.
Founder: Bill Williams
happenings 4
36th Annual Christmas Connection
5
‘Frame by Frame’
6
LampLight Theatre’s “Home for the Holidays”
7
7th Annual ARTLANDIA
8
AMEn to perform
9
Turkey Trot 5K Road Race is Back!
10
Calendar features Rare Clinchfield No. 1 Photos
11 WKMA holds annual Mitletoe Market 13
A Salute to the American Soldier
19
Sandi Patty to perform at NPAC
22
Artimus Pyle Band coming to MPCC
23
Arts Aray presents “Wild Canaries”
14
Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times
24
Crossword & Sudoku
music & fun
columns & reviews
12 Batteries Not Included - #Spoiler #Blessed 16 Stargazer - Life in the Universe ... Where is It? 17 Skies This Week 18 Screen Scenes - “Big Stone Gap” 20 The Trivial Traveler - Anarchy in the NYC 22 Pets of the week 25 Lock, Stock & Barrel - Firearms in the Home 26 Kelly’s Place - Standing (or Reclining) Room Only
Page 4 | The Loafer | November 3, 2015
36th Annual CHRISTMAS CONNECTION Arts & Crafts Fair 2015 to be held November 6-8, 2015 at the Kingsport Civic Auditorium
Kingsport’s Christmas Connection, an event sponsored by the Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts, is celebrating 36 years of arts and crafts in 2015! Christmas Connection has been a staple in the community for 36 years. It is a very well established cultural event in Kingsport, hosting the region’s best arts and crafts vendors. The Civic Auditorium will be filled with Holiday wreaths & floral arrangements, primitive & country crafts, Christmas ornaments, pottery, stained glass, woodcrafts, handmade soaps and lotions, fabric crafts, needlework, doll clothing, true-to-life baby dolls, jewelry, dichroic glass, handmade greeting cards and paper art, leather crafts, basketry, paintings, figurines, photography, candles, baked goods and much more! Again, this year, courtesy of Bubba’s Book Store, several regional authors will be on hand each day to sign their books – a truly unique item for anyone in your family. Look for them in the Civic’s West Room. Also joining us this year are the artists from Kingsport’s Senior Artisan Center. Make sure to stop in the Civic’s History Room and check out their beautiful crafts. Outside, patrons will find that sweet and salty treat, kettle corn, being made fresh all day. Festive funnel cakes and fried items will
also be available for purchase at the parking lot entrance. The Holidays are fast approaching and this is an excellent opportunity to grab some holiday cheer, support master craftsmen and find unique gifts and treasures. Shoppers can spend the day shopping inside; out of the weather and amongst quality arts and crafts. The Christmas Connection Café has concessions to enjoy, including mouthwatering homemade soups, soup beans & cornbread and favorites like chili, hot dogs, and nachos. Shoppers won’t have to lose their parking spot to eat elsewhere. For more information on the Christmas Connection Arts & Crafts Fair, please call 423-392-8415 or go online: www. EngageKingsport.com Admission to this fun-filled, shopping event is FREE and open to the public!  DATES/HOURS: Friday Nov. 6: Saturday Nov. 7: Sunday Nov. 8: Kingsport Civic Auditorium 12 Noon - 10 AM - 12 Noon 6 PM 6 PM 5 PM  1550 Fort Henry Dr. Kingsport, TN
www.EngageKingsport.com
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Frame by Frame
November 3, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 5
Indie film looks at Afghanistan through eyes of its people There is more to Afghanistan than the news reported in foreign media. Two filmmakers and four photojournalists wanted to share that story, and the result is the 2015 documentary Frame by Frame. “What we found surprised us and made us fall in love with Afghanistan,” co-director/producers Mo Scarpelli and Alexandria Bombach say in The Daily Beast. “Sure – there is dust, there are burqas, and of course, there is war. But this is far from the full story of Afghanistan.” Mary B. Martin School of the Arts at ETSU presents Frame by Frame and filmmaker Scarpelli as part of South Arts’ Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers on Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. in ETSU’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium. Following a screening of the film, Scarpelli, who is traveling to ETSU with the documentary, will engage the audience in a discussion about the film and her work as a filmmaker. A reception will follow the Q&A. The film and reception are free and open to the public. “The world is hankering for a more in-depth and honest view of life in today’s Afghanistan and the
issues Afghans face as they stand on their own to rebuild the country,” says the filmmakers’ statement. Frame by Frame depicts not only the struggles and successes of the photographers in post-Taliban Afghanistan, but tells their stories amid what Scarpelli calls “the beauty, hope and complexity of a country that is often represented as war-torn and hopeless.” “Frame by Frame is going to offer us insights into a culture that is different from ours in many ways,” says Anita DeAngelis, director of sponsor Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, “but also help us to realize the common ground between us – as well as amaze us with the courage of these photographers and others fighting for freedoms there.” In 1996, the Taliban decreed that taking a photo in Afghanistan was a crime. For five years, taking photos, even family photos, was banned. After the regime fell from power in 2001, a fledgling free press emerged and a photography revolution was born. Now, as foreign troops and media withdraw, Afghanistan is left to stand on its own, and so are its journalists.
Set in a modern Afghanistan bursting with color and character, Frame by Frame follows four Afghan photojournalists as they navigate an emerging and dangerous media landscape – reframing
Frame ....
Contiuned on page 21
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LampLight Theatre Ushers in the Holidays
“Home for the Holidays”
Lamplight Theatre is gearing up for the holidays. Summer has come and gone, and Lamplight’s heartwarming musical, Home for the Holidays, will help you kick off the festive season. This new production is a musical revue of the 1940’s holiday classics which follows a storyline of faith and family. This nostalgic production will stir up warm memories from Christmas past. While portraying the struggles of families during wartime, this musical is a yarn of true courage and inspiration. This show is a cornucopia of holiday classics and family values. Home for the Holidays follows the tale of two young men, Randall Garrett and Clay Starnes, as they leave their families to serve in the war. Like most families during World War II, Randall’s sister and Clay’s fiance, Julie Starnes, Randall’s mother, Clara, and the rest of the family eagerly huddle around the radio for updates and wait in anticipation for their soldiers’ return. News comes of a surprise attack near the boys’ unit, later named the Battle of the Bulge. A heavy hush falls on the families of these young soldiers. The Annual Holiday Radio Show is held in honor of the troops, and soldiers’ families are invited to be a part of the live audience. Here we are entertained with some of our Christmas favorites from talented performers of the era. Hopes are stirred and
hearts are warmed at the events that take place during the radio show. We can only hope for our soldiers’ safe return Home for the Holidays. Performances for Home for the Holidays will be held Nov. 6-8,
13-14, 20-22, and 27-29. Show times are 7:00 on Fridays and Saturdays with additional matinee performances on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and on Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Doors will open one hour prior to performances. A suggested donation for each performance is $10.00 for adults, $5.00 for students, FREE for children 5 years of age and under. A love offering will be taken at each production. Reservations may be made by calling the LampLight box office at 423-343-1766, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or online at www.lamplighttheatre.com. In honor of Veterans Day and the content of this show, we would like to give Free Admission to all veterans, active, and reserve military members to any performance of Home for the Holidays. For a complete theatre schedule, visit www.lamplighthteatre.com. LampLight Theatre is located 140 Broad Street, Kingsport, TN.
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20+ Artists to present at
7th Annual ARTLANDIA: An Arts & Crafts Peep Show
Support local and regional artisans as you shop for Christmas gifts this year on Saturday, November 7th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m at the 7th annual “ARTLANDIA: An Arts and Crafts Peep Show.” This year 20+ local and regional artists, dedicated to their craft, will sell work at The Gallery located in the Portico Restaurant building (once called Old South Restaurant), located at 601 Spring Street, in downtown Johnson City, TN. “You can always find plenty of gifts that have been mass-produced, however, why choose that route when you can support local and regional artists who excel in their craft,” said Virginia Buda, the Arts and Crafts’s show organizer and Founder of Artlandia. “By making the choice to buy locally, you are sending a message to multiple generations about supporting our artists and local economy,” added Buda. A range of work will be presented. Also, on display to sell is Phase 1 of a 2-Phase bicycle-inspired art project called “TREAD ON THIS...” Phase 1 of this project - 10 wooden art bikes - was produced by various artists. These bikes are cur- rently rotating in different Johnson City businesses includ-
ing Nelson Fine Art Center, Main Street Pizza Company, The Willow Tree Coffeehouse and Music Room, Energy Fitness, TREK, The Johnson City Public Library, One Stop Wines, The Fresh Market, Lifestyle Fitness Center and Johnson City’s Wal- lace Imports with other locations added. Phase 2 of the project is a bicycle-inspired public work of art intended for Veteran’s Park - next to South Side Elementary School in the heart of the Tree Streets Neighborhood. A $10,000 artist fee is currently being raised for this project which will
be the first public work of art in a Johnson City neighborhood. Public Admission is $2 which will place patron’s in the running for one of the show pieces. For more information and for fiscal and in-kind sponsorship opportunities, visit facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artlandiajc or contact Virginia Buda at 423-833-8474 or vbudadesigns@ gmail.com. These events and projects are a pro-bono and personal community-building endeavor via Virginia Buda through Artlandia.
Model Trains in Downtown Kingsport! Meet the builders November 5-7, 2015
The City of Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts and Engage Kingsport invite you to join model train enthusiasts for a 3-day open house in Downtown Kingsport at 252 Broad Street. Recently, a local benefactor donated several complete train sets to Engage Kingsport. With the support of Downtown Kingsport developers, Urban Synergy, local model train enthusiasts have assembled a working model train and invite the public to come view the trains and talk with the railroad builders over a 3-day reception: Thursday, November 5th from 4-8 pm, Friday, November 6th from 4-8 pm and Saturday, November 7th from 10 am-5 pm.
Formerly known as the Flying Pig Gallery & Studios, 252 Broad Street is located at the corner of Broad and Center Streets in Downtown Kingsport and adjacent to Art in the Heart Gallery. Thursday, November 5th will be the official start of the Holiday Shopping Season in Kingsport--part of the First Thursday Sip and
Stroll events and sure to be a festive way to start November. Over 25 stores will be open from 5-8 pm offering holiday specials and refreshments. Complimentary carriage rides will begin at 5 pm on Market at Broad Street. Art in the Heart Gallery will have a special art reception from 5-8 pm: Women of the Palette: “Back to Nature”.
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Appalachian Men’s Ensemble to perform Vaughan Williams and Monteverdi
The Appalachian Men’s Ensemble (AMEn) will present a concert titled “Let All the World in Every Corner Sing” on Sunday, November 8, at 3 p.m. at Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church, 201 E Market St. The concert title comes from the final movement of the featured piece, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs, with baritone soloist Dominic Aquilino. Mr. Aquilino is on the vocal faculty at East Tennessee State University. Additionally, the choir will perform Claudio Monteverdi’s Non havea febo ancora, featuring soprano Tatum Spears, who recently completed her vocal performance degreet at ETSU. The program will be rounded out with selections by Camille Saint-Säens, Norman Dello Joio, and traditional American works. Local organist Vicki Fey, from Bristol, TN, will be featured in the Vaughn Williams and Dello Joio pieces. AMEn is an all-male vocal ensemble of auditioned voices from throughout the greater Tri-Cities area. The group is dedicated to
performing a wide range of choral repertoire – both sacred and secular – from the late Middles Ages to the present. AMEn’s programming and presentation of music is vast and varied, featuring a capella pieces, accompanied songs, rock and pop arrangements, and classical works from a variety of cultures. AMEn is unique in its formation and execution, representing one of the few American male choral ensembles of its size to perform music of such a demanding caliber while also programming popular arrangements and familiar standards. AMEn was founded in the fall of 2014. Dr. Alan Stevens is the Artistic Director. Stevens is also currently the Associate Director of Choral Activities at East Tennessee State University. Admission is free, but donations are gladly accepted. For more information, contact AMEn at AppalachianMensEnsemble@ gmail.com. Concert updates and additional information about AMEn can be found on their Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/ AMEnEnsemble
Greyscale to return with‘Spectrum’ fall concert
Greyscale, one of the premier vocal ensembles from the East Tennessee State University Department of Music, will return with its signature fusion of jazz and pop styles in “Spectrum,” its fall concert to be held Nov. 6-7. “Spectrum” will be a “unique concert experience that is entirely a cappella,” according to director Dr. Alan Stevens, ETSU assistant professor of music and associate director of choral activities. Highlights will include swing versions of The Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” and A-Ha’s “Take on Me,” as well as vocal versions of the “Mission: Impossible” and “Ha-
waii Five-0” theme songs. The concert will also include solo performances by members of the group, as well as such Greyscale favorites as “Dynamite,” “Spiderman” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Performances will begin each evening at 7:30 p.m. in the D.P. Culp University Center’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students with ID. For tickets or more information, call the ETSU Department of Music at 423-439-4276. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423439-8346.
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November 3, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 9
TURKEY TROT 5K Road Race is Back! Street in Johnson City, near Memorial Park Community Center. An awards ceremony for the overall winners will be held at Cardinal Park immediately following the race. New to this year’s event will be the Corporate Challenge and Fastest Fitness competitions, which will include bragging rights and a Johnson City’s premier holiday special trophy to businesses (large event is back for its 10th anniver- and small divisions) with the most sary, and the 2015 Turkey Trot 5K participants and fitness centers Road Race and Family Fun Run/ with the fastest collective times. walk promises to the be the bigArea schools are always heavily gest yet! involved with the Turkey Trot, as “The Turkey Trot has always cash prizes are awarded to those provided a homecoming-like at- with the most race participants, mosphere for Johnson Citians, and but this year’s race is sure to draw we want to see everyone who’s even more interest from students. participated in the Turkey Trot in “We are holding a contest years past to come back and bring among our elementary-age chila friend. The reunion aspect is dren to create more of an identity part of what makes this event so for our turkey,” said Race Director special for our community,” said Karen Hubbs. “The mascot is an Race Chairwoman and co-founder important part of the Turkey Trot Jenny Brock. but it’s never had a backstory or As always, the Turkey Trot even a name. We’re counting on will begin at 8:30 a.m. Thanksgiv- the creativity of our youth to let ing Day (Thursday, Nov. 26). The us know who this turkey really 5K will begin and end on Legion is, and the winner will be named
grand marshal of the 10th anniversary Turkey Trot!” Submission forms have been distributed to Johnson City elementary schools and can also be downloaded at www.jcturkeytrot. org. Deadline for entries is Nov. 12. Ten submissions will be posted on the Turkey Trot Facebook page the week of Nov. 16, and the winner will be chosen from the top three entries with the most “likes.” The winner will be announced during packet pickup. Proceeds from this year’s event will go toward the Tweetsie Trail and a new partnership with East Tennessee State University focusing on health and wellness in youth. “The Center of Excellence for Sport Science and Coach Education, which is a designated Olympic Training Site, is pleased to announce their partnership with the program organizers of the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Trot, Up and At ‘Em,” said Dr. Andy Dotterweich, associate professor of Exercise and Sport Science. “Proceeds from the Turkey Trot will support a new
sport initiative in the Johnson City community, USA Track and Field’s Run, Jump, Throw program.” The Turkey Trot will also hold a food drive for Second Harvest Food Bank. Participants are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items during packet pick-up or day of race. A collection barrel is also located at The Wellness Center, where registrations are accepted. Registration for the Turkey Trot is now under way at www. jcturkeytrot.org. Early registrants (by Nov. 22) are guaranteed the best price and one of the alwayspopular long-sleeved Turkey Trot T-shirts. Online registrations will close at midnight Nov. 22. Early registration by midnight Nov. 22 is $25 for adults; $20 for students (18 and under). Late registration (Nov. 23-25) is $30 for adults; $25 for students. A special discount will be available for families of five or more (living in the same household) that register by Nov. 22. There will be no registrations the day of the event. Packet pick-up and late regis-
trations will be at Memorial Park Community Center from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Nov. 24 and 25. A wheelchair division will be offered again this year, and strollers are allowed. Well-behaved dogs on leashes are allowed to start at the back of the pack, and owners are asked to please pick up after their pets. For more information about the 5K USATF-certified course, trophy categories, school awards and prizes, parking areas, and road closures please visit www.jcturkeytrot.org. and like the Johnson City Turkey Trot 5K on Facebook. Event management for the Turkey Trot is provided by The Goose Chase.
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12-Month Calendar Features
Rare Clinchfield No. 1 Photos The Clinchfield No. 1 steamed past East Tennessee State University in 1978, and Paul Haynes was there to snap a photo of it – a scene, it seemed, from another era, the days of steam engines. Haynes’ photo is included in a new limitededition, 12-month calendar about the famed Clinchfield No. 1. For 11 years, the Erwin-based Clinchfield Railroad used its antique steam engine to pull excursions throughout the South. Now, some of those memories are preserved in calendar. Big Stone Gap, Virginia, resident Ron Flanary has been snapping photos of trains all his life, and now some of his photos are included in a limitededition, 12-month calendar about the famed Clinchfield No. 1. And Erwin, Tennessee, resident Margaret Banks says she’s been a “Clinchfield Railroad girl” since the 1940s, but now at 76 years old, she’s something she never dreamed she’d be – a calendar girl. A photo of Banks – as a 19-yearold – is included in the calendar about the antique steam locomotive that was famously rebuilt by the Clinchfield Railroad in Erwin in 1968 and pulled excursion trains from Erwin to South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Kentucky – and once even to Tampa, Florida. Bank’s father worked for the Clinchfield Raiload. The excursions visited Knoxville at least twice during their 11-year run. The photo of Banks – posing on the cab of the Black Mountain No. 1 (the engine’s designation before it was converted to the Clinchfield No. 1) – is one of several photos included in the calendar. Most of the photos have never been published before, and some have never been seen by anyone but the photographers who snapped them over the years. The glossy calendar was the brainchild of Washington Count
The cover of the 2016 Clinchfield No. 1 calendar is a painting by the late Kenneth Ferguson. resident and retired train engineer A.J. “Alf” Peoples and newspaper editor and publisher Mark A. Stevens. Peoples and Stevens have worked on several projects about the Clinchfield No. 1 over the past few years, two of which results in successful books about the storied steam engine. Their first book was a limitededition hard-cover book titled “The One & Only: A Pictorial History of the Clinchfield No. 1.” That book, published in 2013, featured nearly 500 photos of the steam engine and its famous excursion trains. The second book, which followed in 2014, was published Charleston, South Carolina-based History Press. It is titled “The Clinchfield No. 1: Tennessee’s Legendary Steam Engine” and was an Amazon.com best seller in 2014. The book has also been used as part of an Appalchian Studies course at East Tennessee State University. “Surprisingly after publishing nearly 600 photos between our two books, we still had photos we had never published,” Peoples said. “We knew we wanted to do something with them, so we came up with the idea for the calen-
dar. Some of the photos in the calendar have never been seen before except, of course, by the person who took the photos.” In addition to Banks and Flanary, people who have provided photos include Ohio resident Douglas A. Long and photographers and train enthusiasts Mike May, David DeVault, Everett Young, Bob Wilson, Phil Laws, Paul Haynes and Mark Huber. “It’s just a pleasure to keep alive the story of the real ‘little engine that could’,” Stevens said. “People all over the world – and especially in East Tennessee – have such a love for the Clinchfield No. 1, and I know Alf and I do, too.” The calendar is available for $14.95 at the Clinchfield Federal Credit Union in Erwin. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Unicoi County Historical Society and the Clinchfield Railroad Museum. Mail orders may be sent to Alf Peoples, 220 Jackson Lane Private Drive, Johnson City, TN 37601. Add $3 for postage. For more information, call Peoples at 423-7946617. Or the calendar is also available at amazon.com. The 133-year-old steam engine is now housed at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland.
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WKMA to hold annual
Mistletoe Market
William King Museum of Art will hold the 17th annual Mistletoe Market holiday shopping event November 6-8 at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, off I-81 in Abingdon, Virginia. Mistletoe Market is a premier holiday shopping event and the largest fundraiser of the year for William King Museum of Art. Annual attendance is over 6,000 visitors. This will mark the 17th year for this annual shopping extravaganza, a proven success for participating merchants and holiday gift mart of this caliber. The Market features merchants from over 10 states, daily workshops, local music, door prizes, children’s art activities, happy hour, and on-site cafe. Market hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 8. Market admission is six dollars for adults and four dollars for children ages 6-12. Children 12 and under are admitted free on Sunday. Santa will also visit on Sunday and will be available for photo opportunities. This year, more merchants than ever have
been added with expansion to the second floor. Shop for holiday gifts, decorating items, gourmet foods, toys, apparel, one-ofa-kind jewelry, and much more. All proceeds from Mistletoe Market benefit the Museum. For more information about Mistletoe Market, call us 276-628-5005 or visit www. williamkingmuseum.org/mistletoemarket. William King Museum of Art is located at 415 Academy Drive, off West Main Street or Russell Road, in Abingdon. The Museum features five exhibition galleries, artist studios and outdoor sculpture garden. Educational programs in the visual arts are offered year-round for both children and adults, and school audiences are served by in-house and outreach programs. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the William King Museum of Art is a partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, a member of the Virginia Association of Museums and is funded in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Adult basketball league registration open for 2015-16 season
The Johnson City Parks and Recreation is now accepting teams for the 2015-16 adult basketball season. Leagues include: men’s church, men’s open/industrial, and women’s. Men play a 14-game regular season, and women play an eight-game schedule. Season play will begin Nov. 30. Teams must register in person at the Winged Deer Park Athletic Office, 4137 Bristol Highway, by Nov. 13. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Entry fee is $400 per men’s team and $200 per women’s team, with a $5 fee for any non-Johnson City resident on the roster. Entry fees, completed roster, and photo IDs are due at registration. Players must be 16 years old to participate; players ages 16-18 must have a parent-signed waiver. For more information, please call 283-5822.
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like “HOLY CRUD! Peggy is totally dead! Peggy’s dead, that’s what I said!” (Any Curtis Mayfield fans in the house?) With this in mind, what I’d like to do this week is present a reconstruction of an episode of “The Walking Dead” based completely off of social media posts. Last night’s episode of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” was one of the most absolute shocking of the series to date. The survivors stumble across an abandoned mansion, inside they discover a crazed Lionel Richie, who has been driven to madness by the zombies. The survivors find that Richie has turned “The Walking Dead,” I know ev- with “OMG! WHY?” posts. the mansion into a giant armory, erything that has happened on that Now, I am not without sin, and and greets the guests with “Hello! show. All the major events, all the I’ve giddily tweeted along to epi- Is it death you’re looking for?” deaths. Why? Because I am on so- sodes of “Mad Men,” but I think the cial media. I know that without fail most spoilery thing I ever tweeted by the end of a Sunday night, most about that series was “Way to go, of my Facebook feed will be filled Peggy!” I’ve never posted anything
#Spoiler #Blessed
I’ve never seen an episode of “The Walking Dead.” I can hear your panic and freak outs, but shut your traps. I’m not a zombie guy. I know, it’s about human survival and stuff. But, whatever. Despite never having seen an episode of
It appears that death was imminent for our heroes, after a moment of tense terror, a walker--I assume Texas ranger--showed up. A swift roundhouse kick to the face took down the evil Lionel Richie, followed by the quip “Looks like someone ain’t a brick house.” Texas ranger put on sunglasses, yelled “YEAHHHHHHH!” Daryl looked at the group, said “OMG, Taylor Swift is so my jam!” and they went on down the road. Nicholas did something to make the group hate him even more, he demanded everyone stop and watch his one man show “Nicholas: A Life Wasted in the Wasteland.” Halfway during the second act, the group turned on him and they pelted him with rocks and garbage. Accidentally throwing a zombie brain at him, which made me turn into some terrible creature, which they then killed and burned in order to end the episode with a sing-a-long of “We Didn’t Start The Fire.” What an amazing episode! I bet if I watched “The Walking Dead” on a regular basis, I would be super pleased and shocked with it all. Boy howdy! See you next week with a spoiler less column.
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JC Christmas Parade
Application Now Being Accepted
The first Saturday in December is the official date for Johnson City’s Christmas Parade. This special event, sponsored by Blue Plum, TVA and Holidays Christmas Department Store, will be Saturday, December 5 at 3pm. The parade route will begin near ETSU then precede to historic downtown on East Main Street with the departure point the Burley Lot on Legion St. The 2015 theme is ‘A Parade of Trees’. All entries must be decorated to participate or have some form of entertainment element in the seasonal holiday theme (ex-
ceptions are listed in the parade guidelines at downtownjc.org). Local organizations and businesses are encouraged to participate and compete for the Christmas Parade Trophy given to the Top 3 best parade entries. Participant information and application forms are online at http://downtownjc.org, deadline to enter is November 23. Paper applications are available at the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce. The 2015 Grand Marshal is Johnson City native, Daniel Norris! Mr. Norris is the MLB pitcher for the Detroit Tigers. He lived in Johnson City and was the pitcher for the Science Hill baseball team. The other esteemed guests are Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus, riding in the Firehouse Restaurant’s vintage 1925 fire truck. Mr. and Mrs. Claus will be at the new Holidays Christmas Department Store after the parade for photos with Santa! For more information on the Christmas Parade, email Deanna Hays at blueplumdirector@gmail. com. For information on photos with Santa contact: Holidays, 423.928.2811, the.elfs.holidays@ gmail.com To stay up-to-date on events, festivals, parades and announcements, “Like” the pages: First Friday and Blue Plum Festival on Facebook at facebook.com/firstfriday and facebook.com/blueplumfestival
November 3, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 13
A Walk In Their Boots: A Salute to the American Soldier
Walk through the 200-plus year history of the American soldier in one day! From the days of the frontier and the American Revolutionary War through America’s Civil War to World War II and beyond, come and interact with period historians as they demonstrate the life and hardships of the American soldier throughout time. See the gear and equipment they used to survive and how it evolved throughout history. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see demonstrations and
full-blown battle skirmishes that define each era, including an assault on a Revolutionary War fortress, a Civil War skirmish and a WWII period battle featuring an ambush by German Fallshrimjaegers on an American 101st airborne unit from WWII. The event will be held from 10 AM to 4 PM on Veteran’s Day weekend, Nov. 7-8, 2015, at Sycamore Shoals State Park, 1651 W. Elk Ave., Elizabethton, TN. The event is free and open to the general public. 423.323.4660.
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SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country) - TUESDAY - Nov. 3rd -
RYAN MARTIN
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
- WEDNESDAY - Nov. 4th OPEN MIC
at WoodStone Deli
OPEN MIC at Jiggy Ray’s
SHIMMY & THE BURNS at Down Home 8pm
OPEN MIC
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
- THURSDAY - Nov. 5th JAZZ at Wellington’s - Carnegie Hotel
JENNIFER KNAPP at The Down Home
JESSIE A.M.
at The Mecca Lounge
LUKE COMBS
at The Outdoorsman
- SATURDAY - Nov. 7th MICHAEL PRICE
at Jiggy Ray’s Pizzaria 7pm
at Jiggy Ray’s Pizzaria RYAN WARD (Indie) at Sleepy Owl Brewery
(Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at 50 Fifty Sports Tavern
at The Willow Tree Coffee House & Music Room 8pm
MIKE MCKAMEY SHOOTER
CHRIS LONG at Bristol Brewery
SISSY BROWN
at The Mecca Lounge
BRANDON WADLEY
at The Willow Tree Coffee House & Music Room 8pm
SPANK
at Yee Haw Brewing Co.
MATT HALL JAZZ TRIO at Uncorked
KELLY ZULLO
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
BELOW 7
at Country Club Bar & Grill 8pm
at Capone’s
WILLIAM WILD BELOW 7 at Hyperion
NIGHTSHIFT
(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at JC Moose Lodge 8pm
OPEN JAM
at Kosher Pickle
ADAM LAWSON at Uncorked
SHOOTER
(Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Kingsport Moose Lodge 8pm
WAYNE HENDERSON, JEFF LITTLE & FRIENDS at Carter Family Fold
BILLY CRAWFORD at Holiday Inn (Exit 7)
MARK LARKINS
WYLDEHEART
at JC Senior’s Center
at Country Club Bar & Grill
LAURA THURSTON (Folk)
CROOKED ROAD REJECTS
at O’Mainnin’s Pub
at O’Mainnin’s Pub & Grill 8pm
SANDI PATTY
JERRY PIERCE & THE NIGHTLIFE BAND
at Niswonger Performing Arts Center
KARLA DILLER
at University Parkway Baptist Church Honor Flight NE TN fundraiser 7;30pm
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
STEPHEN EVANS HUSTLE SOULS
HAYDEN GARBER
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
KAREN CAJKA’S ARMY
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
- FRIDAY - Nov. 6th SHELDON CLARK TOUGH OLD BIRD
- SUNDAY - Nov. 8th ANDY FERRELL
SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS
JAMESON ELDER HANNA RAE
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
at The Casbah
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
THE PLUM SMUGGLERS
- MONDAY - Nov. 9th OPEN MIC
at Elizabethton Elks Lodge
LANCE STINSON at Biggie’s Clam Bar
SEASONS OF ME at Capone’s
BELOW 7
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
BLUEGRASS JAM
at Hardee’s (Boones Creek)
KARAOKE TUESDAY
Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN ***********************
WEDNESDAY
Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion 8pm Karaoke At Bristol VFW - BTN Turn the Page Karaoke At VFW Post 2108 - JCTN ***********************
THURSDAY
Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Macadoo’s 8pm Karaoke At Holiday Inn - JCTN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JCTN ***********************
FRIDAY
KaraokeAt Bristol VFW - BTN Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill 9pm Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30 pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - JCTN Karaoke At Elizabethton VFW Karaoke w/ DJ Marques At Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - BVA Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN ***********************
SATURDAY
Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - JCTN Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN Karaoke at Bristol VFW ***********************
SUNDAY
Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JCTN ***********************
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Spotlight Directory
50 Fifty Sports Tavern 2102 N. Roan Street Johnson City Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423/434.9872 Biggies Clam Bar 417 W Stone Dr Kingsport 423/765-9633 Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon VA 276/623-0037 Bristol Brewery 41 Piedmont Ave Bristol VA 276/ 608-1220 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 The Casbah 807 W. Walnut St. Johnson City Capone’s 227 E Main St Johnson City 423/928-2295 Carter Family Fold 3449 A. P. Carter Hwy Hiltons VA 276/594-0676 Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822 Elizabethton Elks Lodge 1000 N. Sycamore St Elizabethton 423/ 543-2341 Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol VA 276/466-4100 The Hyperion 1759 E. Andrew Johnson Hwy Greenville 423/ 638-4143 Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton 423/ 518-1500 Johnson City Moose Lodge 1801 W. Lakeview Dr. Johnson City 423/926-6400
Trout Fishing In America EZRA IDLET - guitar/vocals,
KEITH GRIMWOOD - bass/vocals
Down Home Saturday, Nov. 7th 7:30pm Photo Credit: Eric Overacker
Johnson City Senior’s Center 510 Bert St. Johnson City 423/ 434-6238 Kingsport Moose Lodge 301 E. Main St. Kingsport Kosher Pickle 3900 Bristol Hwy Johnson City 423/ 979-7000 The Mecca Lounge 117 Spring St Johnson City 423/928-9360 Niswonger Performing Arts Center 212 Tusculum Blvd Greeneville TN 423/ 638-1328 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 The Outdoorsman 4535 Highway 11W Kingsport Salsarita’s 200 Linden Square Bristol VA 276/ 591-1260 Show Palace 14364 Lee Hwy Bristol VA 276/494-6610 Sleepy Owl Brewery 151 E. Main St. Kingsport 423/390-8476 Uncorked 316 Broad St. #102 Kingsport University Parkway Baptist Church 219 University Pkwy Johnson City 423/ 926-5841 Wellington’s Restaurant Carnegie Hotel 1216 W State of Franklin Rd Johnson City 423/979-6400 The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 216 E Main St Johnson City Woodstone Deli 3500 Fort Henry Dr Kingsport 423/245-5424 Yee Haw Brewing Company 126 Buffalo St. Johnson City
November 3, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 15
Page 16 | The Loafer | November 3, 2015
Life in the Universe…Where is It?
Life. That is the great question about our Cosmos. Where is it? What does it look like? Or, are we alone in the Universe? Most astronomers think not. In fact, the consensus is the Universe is teeming with life. And that’s a big change in attitude in just 50 years of the Space Age. The human condition is to survive and explore. We’ve gone from what’s on the other side of the next hill to what’s on the other side of the Moon to what’s on the other side of our Universe. Just 500 years ago the world’s greatest thinkers believed the whole Universe was everything we see in the sky. Galileo’s telescope in 1609 found more stars than meets the eye. And when the great Italian scientists saw that Jupiter had four moons, it was a shocking revelation that everything did not move around the Earth. As new telescopes reached deeper into the Universe, more was revealed to place doubts in the uniqueness of Earth and its place among it all. Just 100 years ago it was figured out by astronomers like Edwin Hubble that our Milky Way was just one of the millions of other large conglomerations of stars called galaxies, further shrinking man’s significance in the cosmic ocean. And in the 1970s an earnest effort was begun to monitor our Universe for signs of other civilizations. We’ve heard all about the “footprint” our civilization is leaving in outer space—the broadcasts of radio, television and electronic chatter being innocently sent out into the Universe for anyone with big ears to hear. That’s what we’ve been listen-
ing for, any intelligent signal from alien life. There are several new efforts to search for extraterrestrials, including analysis of the earthlike “exoplanets” found orbiting nearby star. But nearly 50 years of effort has so far found no alien signals from afar. The search for life also involves the seeking of the elixir of life—water! On Earth, where there is water there is life. And we find life everywhere on our planet! There is life on Earth where you’d least expect it: from lichens on the barren Alps Mountains to the weird fish at the bottom of the sea. Living creatures on Earth have adapted to all extremes including the coldest and hottest places on the planet. A cubic square of dirt from a suburban backyard has millions of organisms thriving in it, from the obvious tiny insects to the millions of microscopic bacteria. Each is a vital link in the biosphere of Earth’s surface. There is literally a world of life in a cubic foot of soil, the complexity of which is just now being understood. And that could be the case for many places in our Solar System. That’s why it’s not hard to imagine the Solar System filled
with microscopic life. Just look at the places where we’ve found water ice in our Solar System: Mercury, Moon, Mars, Callisto, Europa, Ganymede, Enceladus, Triton, Pluto, and Charon. And oh yeah, there are also billions of icy comets swarming in a huge donut ring encircling twice the distance to Pluto, some 8 billion miles away. All it takes is the discovery of a one-cell organism on any of these alien worlds to change the thinking of an entire global civilization. Or will it? The proof is tantalizing close. The latest NASA rover on Mars, Curiosity, has concluded that everything was once perfect on Mars for life to exist and evolve, maybe 2 billion years ago. The proof is the chemistry and photos of the ancient riverbed that Curiosity’s wheels are touching. And just below the surface of those wheels has been found Martian mud. Future Mars rovers will be equipped with a microscope to look for organisms in the damp soil that we know exists in many areas of the Red Planet. Life detection equipment in 1976 was inconclusive aboard the Viking 1 and Viking 2 lander. Other rovers
Sojourner, Spirit and Opportunity had no life detection systems—and none have seen any obvious fossils. How hungry are we to find life? Any hint of aliens spurs hope and triggers the imagination. The latest case in point: Is a megastructure built by aliens causing a nearby star to drop in brightness? The exoplanet-seeking Kepler Space Telescope has spent 5 years scanning the nearby stars for exoplanets, and has logged more than 2,000 with another 5,000 suspects. One star has a phenomenon that has never been seen before—its light dimming by as much as 20 per cent at irregular times. The strange star system is in the constellation Cygnus 1,500 Light Years away. The star, designated KIC 8462852, is a little larger than our Sun. It would dim on a regular rhythm if orbiting exoplanets were involved, but the observed events have a puzzling irregular pattern. Hypothesizing has gone from a swarm of comets to some type of orbiting alien mega-structure. As unlikely as a bizarre star structure is, radio telescopes on Earth are being pointed at KIC 8462852 to listen for signals. Even optical telescopes are watching to grab a spectrograph of any brightness drop and determine what orbiting substances the starlight is filtering through. Such an extraterrestrial civilization envisioned for KIC 8462852 would certainly have been in existence at a high level for maybe hundreds of thousands of years. We earthlings are cautioned to be careful what we wish for when
it comes to looking for alien civilizations. They could be so advanced that they might simply destroy us earthlings and take our planet’s resources for their own. It may be optimistic to think that aliens would come in peace. One of the most likely places for life in our Solar System are the subterranean oceans beneath the icy crusts of moons. Jupiter’s Callisto, Ganymede and Europa, Saturn’s Enceladus and Neptune’s Triton all have suspected liquid beneath their surfaces. NASA is considering an interplanetary submarine mission to Europa, and at Enceladus a spacecraft has been dipping into a global geyser. The NASA Cassini mission on Oct. 29, 2015 flew through the giant plume of water ice that Enceladus spews into space from its North Pole. At a super close distance of just 30 miles, the spacecraft sampled the ejecta for its chemistry and any life-sustaining properties. Results will be announced in the coming weeks. How resistant is life on Earth? Russia says its cosmonauts have scrapped plankton off the sides of the International Space Station. Bacteria survived 18 months on the Moon inside an earth-contaminated camera assembly brought back by Apollo 12. So, earthly life is pretty hardy. And it’s a good bet that we are not unique, that such microbes will be found in our Solar System. And if that’s the case, also in the Universe. Then there are those alien megastructures…
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November 3, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 17
Celestial events in the skies for the week of Nov. 3rd - Nov. 9th, 2015 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. Darkness falls just after 6 pm these November evenings of Eastern Standard Time— and getting earlier for six more weeks until the Winter Solstice. There is about 10 hours 40 minutes of sunlight each day, and you can add two more hours of light for morning and evening twilight. Now, that might not be good for the sports or outdoor enthusiast, but this extra darkness sure makes stargazers happy! November is named for the Latin “novem,” or number nine, as it was the ninth month in the old Roman calendar that begin with March.
creature called Cetus.
Fri. Nov. 6
On this 1572 date in astronomy history, the last great naked eye astronomer Tycho Brahe recorded a bright new star in Cassiopeia. Today we know it was an exploded star that briefly blazed for weeks in daylight, causing Tycho to ponder the new idea that the Universe changed. Though seen now only with photography, Tycho’s Supernova was quite a site in the Autumn of 1572.
Sat. Nov. 7
The Moon and Venus are side by side, a beautiful spectacle in the pre-dawn sky. And in the morning, the familiar constellation Orion is high above the eastern horizon, soon to be seen in our winter nights.
Sun. Nov. 8
Bundling up for an hour or so of stargazing is worth it as in that time the sky will noticeably change. The Summer Triangle that frames the Milky Way is setting in the west, and the Great Square of Pegasus rides high in the northeast. By midnight, the mighty hunter Orion will have cleared the eastern horizon to begin his reign over the night. The Moon was Last Quarter yesterday, so it won’t be in the sky until after midnight.
Tues. Nov. 3
On this 1957 date in space history, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 2 with the first living creature to orbit Earth; a mixed bred dog named Laika. It was only the second space flight ever—basketball-sized Sputnik 1 was launched a month before—and the one-ton vehicle with pressurized capsule was an amazing accomplishment. Unfortunately, Laika was doomed to die in orbit as “Muttnik 2” had no reentry capability. The heroic dog succumbed when the life support system broke down after one day in space.
Wed. Nov. 4
The pre-dawn skies are filled with planets and the Moon all this week. The crescent Moon will slip by Leo’s brightest star Regulus on Thursday, Jupiter on Friday and Venus on Saturday.
Thurs. Nov. 5
Looking north, the familiar five stars that form a “W” on its side are easy to recognize—the throne of Queen Cassiopeia. Her daughter, Andromeda, is east of her, and below is the hero Perseus, the mythological savior of the abducted princess. Lurking along the southern horizon is the monster that terrorized Andromeda, the whale or
Mon. Nov. 9
On this 1967 date in space history, NASA’s Surveyor 6 spacecraft safely landed on the plains of Sinus Medii, almost dead center in the Moon. The three legged landers had engines and instruments mounted on a tubular structure that gave it a spidery look. Surveyors 1-7 had two failures, but the successes helped pave the way for the manned Apollo landings that began in July 1969.
Page 18 | The Loafer | November 3, 2015
IN THEATRES NOW Box Office Top 10
In Theaters Now The Martian (2015)
“Big Stone Gap” I am very grateful to see a film set in Appalachia featuring something other than toothless hicks drinking white lighting from a mason jar while chewing tobacco. Said film is the new release “Big Stone Gap”, based on Adriana Trigiani’s novel of the same name. The story is the tale of single lady Ave Maria Mulligan (Ashely Judd) and those around her in Big Stone Gap, VA. The film is set in the 1970’s, and follows Ave, a local town pharmacist, as she deals with those in her life and town. Helping Ave at the pharmacy is Fleeta Mullins (Whoopi Goldberg), who is always ready with a quip or some words of wisdom. Also residing in the town are Ave’s sometime love interest Theodore Tipton (John Benjamin Hickey), and her best friend Iva Lou (Jenna Elfman), who are always on hand to help Ave when she needs them. Meanwhile, Ave finds herself attracted to local coal miner Jack MacChesney (Patrick Wilson) who is considered the “Gary Cooper of Big Stone Gap. The only problem is Jack is involved with the local ditsy blonde bimbo played by Jane Krakowski. To further complicate Ave’s issues is a tragedy that leads to some hateful relatives attempting to take a beloved item from her. Between Ave’s complications with the men in her life and relatives out for blood, she has a nervous breakdown. Eventually Ava is “back up and running”, and decides she is leaving Big Stone Gap for the outside world to locate some of her relatives. In between all of Ave’s drama and revelations, Big Stone Gap is visited by poli-
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
Goosebumps (2015)
A teenager teams up with the daughter of young adult horror author R. L. Stine after the writer’s imaginary demons are set free on the town of Madison, Delaware.
Bridge of Spies (2015)
An American lawyer is recruited by the CIA during the Cold War to help rescue a pilot detained in the Soviet Union.
Crimson Peak (2015)
In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds - and remembers.
The Intern (2015)
The last witch hunter is all that stands between humanity and the combined forces of the most horrifying witches in history.
Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)
Sicario (2015)
Dracula and his friends try to bring out the monster in his half human, half vampire grandson in order to keep Mavis from leaving the hotel.
presents the town of Big Stone Gap and the Appalachian area in general in a positive light with her directing skills. The film is a love letter to this area, and residents should be thankful with the results. The actors, led by Judd, are all wonderful, and I especially enjoyed the performance of Goldberg, who is perfect in the role of
Steve Jobs (2015) Steve Jobs takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution, to paint a portrait of the man at its epicenter. The story unfolds backstage at three iconic product launches, ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac.
70-year-old widower Ben Whittaker has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior intern at an online fashion site, founded and run by Jules Ostin.
The Last Witch Hunter (2015)
tician John Warner and his then wife Elizabeth Taylor. The visit of the movie star sends the town into a frenzy, and results in Elizabeth having an unfortunate moment with some fried chicken. Everything eventually works out well for Ave, with the film ending on a happy note. I really enjoyed the way Trigiani
Using a special camera that can see spirits, a family must protect their daughter from an evil entity with a sinister plan.
An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elected government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015)
Source: IMDb.com (10/24/2015)
the no-nonsense Fleeta, and along with Elfman, provides many of the films most humorous moments.
While “Big Stone Gap” may be small in scope, it has enormous heart at its core.
Rated: PG-13
B+
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November 3, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 19
Sandi Patty
Thursday, November 5th at NPAC Five time Grammy® award winner Sandi Patty will perform on Thursday, November 5th at 7:30 pm at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. All proceeds from this performance benefit Takoma Regional Hospital Foundation. As one of the most highly acclaimed performers of our time with five Grammy® awards, four Billboard Music Awards, three platinum records, five gold records, and eleven million units sold, Sandi Patty is simply known as The Voice. On September 28th, she announced her final tour “Forever Grateful: the Farewell Tour” and her new album, Forever Grateful. Sandi’s final tour will commence on February 11, 2016 and will reach 90+ cities across the globe, including 20 signature holiday tour dates, special events, surprise guests and major symphony shows. Sandi is the most awarded female vocalist in contemporary Christian music history, with 40 Dove Awards. She was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and as an Indiana Living Legend in 2007. She has released over 30 albums, including her latest Dove Award winning album, The Edge of the Divine (2010) and Everlasting (2013), which was nominated for a Dove Award for Inspirational Album of the Year in 2014. She recently released her brand new holiday recording, “Christmas Blessings”, with exclusive special editions in Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores and Target Stores nationwide. Don’t miss Sandi Patty at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Thursday, November 5th at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $40 for orchestra level seating, $35 for mezzanine seating and $30 for balcony seats. Sandi Patty is presented by Takoma Regional Hospital Foundation. Tickets may be purchased online at www.npacgreeneville.com, in person at the NPAC box office, or by calling 423-638-1679. NPAC offers online seat selection with no processing or delivery fees. There is a $1.50 ticketing fee per ticket regardless of purchase method. The box office hours are
Monday through Friday, 10 am until 5 pm. The 1150 seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High
School in Greeneville, TN. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www. npacgreeneville.com.
Page 20 | The Loafer | November 3, 2015
Anarchy in the NYC
Those of a certain age will forever remember the shocking and devastating events of September 11, 2001, but what many may not know is that the day that changed America forever was not the first time a mass-casualty act of terrorism was carried out in Lower Manhattan. Eighty years prior, another group of malicious individuals threw a sucker punch that left 38 dead, scores injured, and a nation awakened to a coordinated threat on its way of life. On September 16, 1920, someone stopped their horse-drawn wagon at the corner of Wall Street and Broad Street, just a few blocks
south of where the World Trade Center would be built. The driver then left the wagon and vanished into the crowd. Moments later, a bomb made from 100 lbs. of dynamite and at least a quarter ton of cast iron shrapnel exploded, immediately turning the Financial District into a scene of carnage and confusion. Within sight of Federal Hall, where George Washington had taken the oath of office to become the first president of the United States, the blast vaporized the horse and wagon, ended the lives of 38 innocent people, and caused an estimated $23 million (adjusted for inflation) worth of
damage. Although several clues were left, including the horse’s shoes, which could have identified the stable where they were affixed, and a note left at a nearby post office around the time of the explosion, the case was never solved. However, the contents of the note identified the Galleanists, a collection of Italian anarchists, as the group behind the attack. It read, “Remember, we will not tolerate any longer. Free the political prisoners, or it will be sure death for all of you.” It was signed, “American Anarchist Fighters.” Although no one in particular was ever
charged, investigators at the time strongly suspected one known anarchist by the name of Mario Buda, an associate of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, to be the probable culprit. As it took place on a public street in New York City, the site of the 1920 Wall Street bombing is accessible to anyone who might wish to visit and reflect on what happened that day. In fact, visitors will notice that even today, a visible, tangible reminder of the attack remains on the exterior of the building at 23
Wall Street (pictured), which was then home to the headquarters of JP Morgan & Company. The damage done to the outer wall facing Wall Street was never repaired. The decision to leave the facade as-is wasn’t born from a lack of cash (JP Morgan once loaned money to the US Treasury). Rather, it remains to serve both as a memorial to those that perished and as a warning to future generations that complacency toward those who wish us harm can have devastating consequences.
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Frame ....
November 3, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 21
Continued from page 5
Afghanistan for the world, and for them. Through cinema vérité, intimate interviews, vivid photojournalism and never-before-seen archival footage shot in secret during the Taliban regime, the film connects audiences with four humans in the pursuit of the truth. “After more than 13 years of historical growth, free press stands as one of Afghanistan’s most viable hopes for political and social stability,” Scarpelli and Bombach say. “Now is the time to shed light on the realities of building free press in a country whose future may depend on it … “In Kabul, we met four incredible local photojournalists. They are deeply embedded in the past, present, and future of their country, and their own truths inform their will to take ownership of Afghanistan’s story and reveal a humanness that is rarely captured by foreign media.” Photojournalists Massoud Hossaini, Wakil Kohsar, Najibullah Musafer and Farzana Wahidy share their stories and their work in the 85-minute documentary
film that The Hollywood Reporter calls, “a work of profound immediacy, in sync with the photographers’ commitment and hope.” Hossaini won a 2012 Pulitzer Prize for a photograph of a 12-year-old girl screaming after a suicide bombing at a Kabul shrine. His wife, Farzana Wahidy, is also a photographer, whose focus on the lives of Afghan women is causing tension with authorities. “Photojournalism in Afghanistan is not for the faint-hearted,” Scarpelli told Medium. “The photographers find themselves defending the value of photography as individuals every day; there’s resistance from the culture to photograph in public; there’s a resistance from the government to cooperate or allow local reporters to do their job; there’s an ongoing threat of violence by fundamentalists who agreed with the Taliban’s law … “I think all of them find comfort in the fact that there are hundreds of Afghan journalists now, so they are not alone.” Co-directors Bombach and Scar-
pelli bring their collective documentary experience making films in over 20 countries to the Southern Circuit. Bombach, who lives on the road, is an Emmy Awardwinning documentary filmmaker and founder of RED REEL. Her Emmy award-winning 2012 film series MoveShake features real life stories and lessons of people dedicating their lives to environmental and social issues. Scarpelli is a non-fiction filmmaker, multimedia journalist and the founder and director of Rake Films. Her work has been published with the BBC, The Wall Street Journal, Africa Review, The Huffington Post and Narrative.ly. Together, Scarpelli and Bombach started the Frame by Frame project in 2012, planning on shooting a short film. Once there, the filmmakers realized there was a larger story to tell, so they teamed up and raised $75,000 on Kickstarter, so that they could return to Afghanistan in 2013 to document a more in-depth perspective of Afghanistan through the eyes of these photojournalists.
Since completion, Frame by Frame has traveled all over the U.S. and internationally in 2015, winning honors at numerous festivals including Ashland Independent, Brooklyn, Port Townsend, Nashville, Cayman, Seattle, AFI Docs, Sidewalk and Heartland. “Now is an important time for the world to pay attention to Afghanistan,” Bombach tells artifactuprising.com. “Foreign troops are leaving. International media is leaving. And international aid is leaving. A new government is now in place and everyone is holding their breath to see if they will support the fledgling Afghan free press.” “We hope the documentary,” Scarpelli says, “will connect people to these Afghan photographers enough that they recognize the humanity behind the current situation, and what’s at stake in this time of uncertainty.” For more information about the film, visit http://www.framebyframethefilm.com/. The Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers is a
program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. South Arts, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit regional arts organization building on the South’s unique heritage and enhancing the public value of the arts. Their work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective, through an annual portfolio of activities designed to address the role of the arts in impacting the issues important to the region, and linking the South with the nation and the world through the arts. For more information on South Arts, visit www.southarts.org. For information about the film, film series or the ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, call 423439-TKTS (8587) or visit www. etsu.edu/martin. Please “Like” ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts on Facebook and follow it on Twitter and Instagram @ArtsAtETSU.
Page 22 | The Loafer | November 3, 2015
Pets Of The Week
Gracie
2years old Shepard mix up to date on all vaccines and spayed.
Kiki
7 months old Lab Retriever mix up to date on all vaccines and spayed.
They can be found at The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Shelter located @ 2061 Hey 75 Blountville,TN 37617 423.239.5237
Artimus Pyle Band coming to MPCC Nov. 5
The Johnson City Senior Center Foundation will host the Artimus Pyle Band in an Ultimate Tribute to Ronnie Van Zant’s Lynyrd Skynyrd on Thursday, Nov. 5, at Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St. Tickets are $25, with a limited number of VIP tickets available for $125 each. VIP tickets include dinner with Artimus Pyle and the Band and VIP seating. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the Johnson City Senior Center Foundation’s Christmas Box outreach program and program sponsorships for local elderly in need. Artimus Pyle has long been considered the “wild man” of Lynyrd Skynyrd. His powerful and distinctive double bass drumming helped define the legendary Skynyrd sound. The Artimus Pyle Band is a high energy, trueto-the-music, and true-to-the-era rock group.
Artimus Pyle, Brad Durden, Jerry Lyda, Tony Black, and Scott Raines are not only a group of friends and contemporaries but a group with some of the most seasoned musicians in the southeast. Artimus has shared with stage with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Warren Haynes, Charlie Daniels Band, Marshall Tucker Band, Paul Roger, and ZZ Top just to name a few. From Freebird to Sweet Home Alabama, the Artimus Pyle Band give fans the best of Skynyrd with one of the men who made it! Doors will open at 6 p.m. Mark Larkins will open the show, and the Artimus Pyle Band will take the show at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at Memorial Park Community Center and online at myjcparks.org. For more information, please call (423)434-6237.
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Arts Array presents
November 3, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 23
“Wild Canaries”
The Arts Array Film Series presented by Virginia Highlands Community College is in its 45th year. All films are presented at the Abingdon Cinemall on Mondays and Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30 pm.
Wild Canaries
(November 9 and 10) Barri and Noah, a newly engaged Brooklyn couple, are disheartened by the death of their elderly downstairs neighbor, Sylvia. Though Noah sees nothing unusual about the old woman’s death, Barri suspects foul play and sets out to investigate, enlisting her roommate Jean to join her on a reconnaissance mission to trail a possible suspect. Tensions mount, however, when the investigation uncovers unsettling secrets throughout the building—including in their own apartment—and suddenly everyone seems like a reasonable suspect. Directed by Lawrence Michael Levine. The Arts Array Film Series is part of the comprehensive cultural outreach program of Virginia Highlands Community College. The series is co-sponsored by the
Abingdon Cinemall, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Emory& Henry College, and King University. Admission to the films is free for the faculties and students at the supporting institutions. Members of the general community may attend for $7.75. For a brochure on the series or more information, please contact Tommy Bryant at 276-739-2451 or email him at tbryant@vhcc.edu.
“Here Comes the Fun”
as Fun Fest 2016 Seeks Logo Designs
Fun Fest 2016 will be held July 15-23. The theme for the festival, “Here Comes the Fun” celebrates the ongoing spirit of Kingsport festival. The community is invited to design the 2016 artwork used for t-shirts, brochures and posters. The winning artist will receive a cash prize and a merchandise package from Fun Fest. Each design should also include the words “Fun Fest” and “King-
sport” in addition to the year – 2016. More detailed information can be found on the Facebook page “Kingsport Fun Fest!”. The deadline for submitting artwork is Monday December 7. Entries can be turned in the at the Fun Fest office inside the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, 400 Clinchfield St, Kingsport, TN or by emailing lfleming@funfest.net.
Jonesborough to Host Veterans Tribute
Jonesborough’s Board of Mayor & Alderman and Veteran’s Affairs Committee will host the town’s 32nd tribute to veterans on Nov. 8 at 2:30 p.m. at the Visitors Center. In honor of Veterans Day, the event will feature the Tennessee Highway Patrol Honor Guard presenting and retiring colors, along with the Daniel Boone Marine Junior ROTC. The popular Appalachian Express Chorus will provide musical entertainment including a medley of patriotic themes and the National Anthem. Taps will also be provided by Jim Culp, and a presentation on the Washington County/Jonesborough History Museum’s Veterans Exhibit with Deborah Montanti of the Heritage Alliance, followed by a presentation by Jerry Story of the Washington County Veterans Services. A special tribute to the servicemen killed in action in Chattanooga earlier this year will also take place. Marking the 32nd event Jonesborough has hosted in honor of Veterans, the tribute will take place on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 2:30 p.m. at the Jonesborough Visitors Center. For additional information, call 423-753-1010 or visit jonesboroughtn.org.
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Firearms in the Home
There are several aspects to responsible gun ownership, including: gun safety, shooting fundamentals, marksmanship, gun care and safe storage. The most important of these are gun safety and storage. It is actually illegal in some states to store a firearm in such a way that it is accessible by a minor. The first thing you should ask yourself when preparing to store a firearm is “What is the purpose of this firearm?” For example, if the gun in question is for home defense it should be stored differently than a hunting rifle that is only used three times a year; if the gun in question is a handgun to be used for home defense by someone who lives alone than it would be perfectly suitable to store the handgun in the nightstand drawer ,on the contrary if the handgun belongs to a father or mother of young child than the nightstand is no longer a suitable option, as the child might gain access to the handgun. In this situation a quick access lockbox under the bed might be a better option. Although the child may discover the lockbox, it is unlikely they will gain access. It is also a good idea to talk to your kids about firearms as soon as they are old enough to understand the danger. As parents it is your job to make sure your kids know that guns have the potential to be dangerous, and that they are not to be touched without your supervision. Trigger guard locks as well as action blocking locks are great for guns not being used for home defense. Also if you utilize a gun-rack you can run a cable through the trigger guards and padlock it. Another nifty trick for bolt-action rifles is to remove the bolts and store them in a different lockbox or safe, just remember to label them. Safe storage is important, but so is choosing the right gun for
home defense. Imagine you’re asleep in your bed; suddenly you are startled awake at 3am by the sound of breaking glass. Ask yourself this “Do you feel confident that you could: locate, access, load, and utilize your firearm in a timely and safe manner?” Most people admit they could probably locate, access, and load their firearm, but not utilize it properly. That’s because in that situation the brain is flooded with adrenaline, and reverts back to training. Most people don’t train for that situation, so they choke. Also many people use their concealed carry gun as their home defense gun. This can be a bad idea as most concealed carry guns are designed for use at or less than 7 yards. Whereas an intruder might
be across the room, and hitting a moving target in the dark with a handgun is extremely difficult. A short barrel police or tactical shotgun might be a better option. The reasons being: a) You have to try to miss with a shotgun, b) Solid lead shot is less likely to penetrate the walls of your home than a jacketed handgun bullet, and c) very few burglars will stick around after hearing the shucking of a pump shotgun. There is so much to cover when it comes to firearms in the home, but this article is a great place to start. As always I hope you enjoyed this article and if you have any questions or concerns feel free to email me, I look forward to your feedback.
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Standing (or Reclining) Room Only
According to a June 2, 2015 Washington Post piece by Brigid Schulte, “Experts now say you should start standing up at work for at least two hours a day—and work your way toward four [because] prolonged sitting is dangerous, associated with a significantly higher risk of heart disease, obesity, cancer, and depression, as well as muscle and joint problems. Some have gone on to say that the office chair is worse for our health than smoking and kills more people than HIV.” So, there you have it—another reason to be paranoid about your health. And if work weren’t stressful enough, now we have to worry about all that sitting we are doing while there. And then we must consider that after sitting all day at work, we generally go home and sit again on our couches while we watch TV or surf the web. Following this round of sedentary activity (or lack thereof) we go to bed and are not standing for another
eight hours or so. Don’t know about you, but I am already feeling the onset of panic. Should I be standing up while writing this instead of sitting in my recliner staring at my laptop, iPad and TV screens (with my phone of course at arm’s length)? If you are worried about all this, please take heart and realize you can put some new and innovative work space furniture on your holiday gift list and then begin your 2016 work year while standing (or reclining) rather than merely sitting. There are already several companies from which to choose, so start compiling your wish lists now. For starters, several companies have been manufacturing adjustable desks for some time, including models that combine a fullyfunctional treadmills and desks. That’s right-you can enter Excel data while running in place. But you don’t have to go that route. You can settle for a plain, even
old-fashioned desk that has a convenient lift/lower lever for adjusting to variable sitting or standing heights. All you have to do is make sure your computer and other wires are the right length, so when you raise your desktop you don’t do damage to your assorted plugged-in devices; of course, you don’t have to worry about the fully mobile wireless stuff you happen to be using. And, you might want to arrange a “Walk and Talk” meeting (a growing trend) with your colleagues very soon, as an alternative to the general sit-down meeting format. Just be sure to wear some comfortable shoes during your ambulatory meeting. As you might expect, we are beginning to see some pretty clever, and at times outlandish designs for those of us who want to vary our desk and workspace configurations while avoiding stressing our bodies. The flagship of alternate workspace desks (if you can call it a desk) is the Altwork Station,
which looks more like a dentist or barber chair than it does a desk. What we have here is a chair-desk configuration that weds these two traditional components into a holistic and decidedly untraditional contraption that looks very weird and even comical. With its dentist chair look, the Station allows its user to sit upright with legs extended or to recline in a position that will perhaps make him or her feel more like getting a root canal than creating or editing documents. Twin computer monitors are mounted in positions that allow them to be seen from any position, either in front in the upright position or suspended rather precariously above users heads in the reclined position; special magnets are designed to hold keyboards, etc. in place when the Station is placed in its extreme reclining position, allowing its users to type above their heads. The desired positions (which curiously exclude standing totally upright) are commanded from a little smartphonelike control panel. In a column he wrote for slashgear.com last week, Chris Davies tells us that this control panel contains “preset buttons for different positions—hold them down and the motors whir in unison until you’re reclined, upright, or anywhere in-between—as well as an ‘escape’ button to take it back to the default setting.” All that’s missing is an eject button to get you out of an uncomfortable position when the going gets a little rough. Maybe my dentist will have one of these installed in her office by the time I show up for my next semi-yearly checkup. Needless to say, this sort of innovation doesn’t come cheap. In an online Mashable blog written by another Chris (Chris Perkins) last week, we learn that the kind
folks at Altwork, a startup based in Sonoma Valley, California, are giving us a price break just in time for the upcoming holiday season. Although their Station normally is priced at only $5,900.00, they are knocking off two grand to offer us an irresistible price of $3,900.00 for a limited time. Who needs one of those curved screen 4HD TVs when we can have this? Apparently this steep price has the priceless benefit of making us more comfortable at work, while promoting our general health and well-being. According to Perkins, who tried out one of these things in Manhattan at an Altair promotional, the Station “made me acutely aware of my body and in turn, how poorly I sit in normal chairs. Sitting (and lying) in this chair felt like getting a massage on my neck and shoulders, which pointed out to me how much tension I carry in that area while I work.” He hastens to add that this is “the sort of product that won’t appeal to everyone, but for a small subset of people, it will be perfect.” A small subset, that is, with very deep pockets. And perhaps those who like to take naps while working—after all, who can resist napping while reclining? Look for 2016 to bring with it quite a bit of reimagining what our workspaces will look and feel like. And new products like the iPad Pro will undoubtedly help usher in these brave new workspaces. We can only hope our bodies will adjust to these strange new positions as well. Call it the Year of Contortion. See you next week. In the meantime, I hope you will explore alternatives to sitting down. And after reading this column, doesn’t sitting down seem so yesterday?
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